Election department: manipur

1. INTRODUCTION:1.1. The State Election Department is a single cadre non-plan department with total staff strength of 167 posts of 20 various categories with Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur as Head of the Department. Joint Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur is the Drawing & Disbursing Officer (DDO) of CEO’s Office, Manipur. Shri R.R. Rashmi, IAS (MT-83) is currently holding the charge of Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur. Shri T. Ranjit Singh, MCS (JAG), is the Joint Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur.
1.2. There are 24 branch offices where the election staff and Officers are attached/posted. The offices are the offices of Deputy Commissioners of 9 Districts and the offices of ADCs of Jiribam and Kangpokpi and SDOs/EROs of Lamphel, Patsoi, Lamsang, Wangoi, Porompat, Sawombung, Keirao Bitra, Nambol, Bishnupur, Moirang, Thoubal, Lilong and Kakching.
1.3. The Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur is the Head of the Election Department. He is appointed by the Election Commission of India from a panel of Officers furnished by the State Government. The Chief Electoral Officer, who is directly responsible to the Election Commission of India, has the statutory responsibility of supervising the preparation of electoral rolls and conduct of Assembly, Parliamentary and Presidential elections in the State and assisting the Delimitation Commission in the delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies subject to the overall control, direction and supervision of the Election Commission of India.
1.4. DCs are the EROs in the 5(five) Hill Districts, Addl. Deputy Commissioner, Kangpokpi and the Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs) in the 4(four) Valley Districts and the Addl. Deputy Commissioner, Jiribam are the EROs in the Valley Districts. There are altogether 20(twenty) EROs in Manipur State. It is to point out that the Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs) in the Hill Districts and most of the Sub-Deputy Collectors (SDCs) in Valley Districts are the Asstt. Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs). There are a total of 54 (fifty four) AEROs in the State. The EROs are directly responsible for correct and complete E/Rolls of A.C.s within their jurisdiction.
1.5. In Hill Districts, the Deputy Commissioners function as the District Election Officers/Electoral Registration Officers/Returning Officers for the purpose of Assembly Elections. The ADC/Jiribam and ADC/Kangpokpi are also functioning as the Electoral Registration Officers and Returning Officers for the Assembly Elections. In Valley Districts, the Deputy Commissioners function as the District Election Officers and the Sub-Divisional Officers function as Electoral Registration Officers/Returning Officers for the Assembly Elections. However, for the Parliamentary Election to the Lok Sabha, DC/Imphal West is the Returning Officer and all other DCs and ADCs Jiribam and Kangpokpi are the Assistant Returning Officers besides the Sub-Divisional Officers of all valley districts.
2. MAIN FUNCTIONS:The main functions of the State Election Department are:

Conduct of Election to the House of People and State Legislative Assemblies as well as the Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections and

To assist the Delimitation Commission in the delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies.

Appointment of statutory Officers like ROs, AROs, EROs, AEROs etc.

And any other election related works assigned by the Commission from time to time.

In all such works, the programmes and execution of the works are undertaken under the superintendence, direction and control of the Election Commission of India.

3.STAFF STRENGTH:
The Chief Electoral Officer has supporting staff strength of 167 numbers including Joint CEO and Asst.CEO and another 13 Election Officers. As on February, 2008, Election Department’s staff strength is as below:

Total

167

148

Normally, one Election Officer each is posted at the office of DCs/DEOs in all districts. However, due to shortage of officers, no Election Officers are posted as on date in Imphal West, Imphal East, Tamenglong, Ukhrul and Churachandpur districts.

4. ACHIEVEMENTS AND IMPORTANT EVENTS:
The main achievements and important events of the department during the financial year 2007-2008 (ending February, 2008) are highlighted below:
i) Conduct of Bye-Elections, 2007 to 1-Khundrakpam & 35-Khangabok Assembly Constituencies: Bye-Elections was held on 2nd June, 2007 to fill casual vacancies of 2(two) seats of 1-Khundrakpam and 35-Khangabok ACs caused by the death of Shri Th. Navakumar Singh, elected from 1-Khundrakpam Assembly Constituency and resignation by Shri Okram Ibobi Singh, elected from 35-Khangabok Assembly Constituency. Shri Thokchom Lokeshwar Singh and Smt. Okram Landhoni Devi, both of Indian National Congress (INC) were the returned candidates for 1-Khundrakpam and 35-Khangabok ACs respectively. A sum of Rs.10.00 lakhs has been spent in the conduct of the said Bye-Elections.
ii) Presidential Election, 2007: Manipur part of the 13th Presidential Elections, 2007 was held successfully on 19th July, 2007 at the premises of Manipur State Legislative Assembly. Shri Gautam Chatterjee, IAS (MH: 82), Chief Vigilance Officer, Damodar Valley Corporation Ltd. Kolkata came as an Observer for this election. Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil was declared elected as the 13th President of India.
iii) Vice-Presidential Election, 2007: Election to the office of Vice-Presidential Election, 2007 was also held successfully on 10th August, 2007. All necessary steps for smooth conduct of the Election were taken up promptly in consultation with Election Commission of India and the Secretary-General to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, Parliament House, New Delhi, who acted as the Returning Officer for the said Vice Presidential Election-2007. Mohammad Hamid Ansari was declared elected as Vice- President of India.
iv) Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls, 2008: As per the directions of the Election Commission of India, a Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls, 2008 with reference to 01-01-2008 as the qualifying date for all 60 (sixty) A.C.s in the State was taken up during the reporting year as per the schedule fixed by the Commission. The draft publication of E/Rolls was made on 5th November, 2007 whereas final publication of E/Rolls was made on 10th January, 2008. The total numbers of electors admitted for inclusion in the whole State during the last Summary Revision was 31,281 whereas the total number of electors deleted was 14,660. Thus, the net addition of electors is 16,621. The total numbers of Electors after the Summary Revision-2008 is 17,18.023. The total number of electors before this Revision was 17,01,402. That is, the net percentage of increase of electors in the State during last Summary Revision-2008 after disposal of claims/objections was (+) 0.98%. The final Rolls were published with approval of the Commission. The revised final Electoral Rolls (in PDF format) of all 60(sixty) A.C.s have been uploaded on CEO’s website and ECI’s website.
v) Implementation of Photo Electoral Rolls Programme:During the reporting year, as advised by the Election Commission, Photo Electoral Rolls Programme has started in Manipur State. In 4(four) valley districts of Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur and Thoubal, the programme started w.e.f 10th July, 2007. Whereas, in the remaining 5(five) hill districts viz Senapati, Ukhrul, Chandel, Churachandpur and Tamenglong, the programme started w.e.f. 10th Sept, 2007. In course of the work in the valley and hill districts, photography teams have met with some disturbance at the hands of some miscreants and anti social elements who have snatched away their digital cameras and photographic equipment. The teams have also been threatened and asked to desist from the photography work. This has delayed our work and has hampered the preparation of Photo Rolls on time. The programme is an ongoing exercise and will continue further.
In order to educate the general public particularly the general electors, advertisement regarding the utility and mandatory nature of Photo Rolls has been made in All India Radio, Imphal in the form of radio spots/jingles in Manipuri & 6 major tribal dialects (during mid-news break) w.e.f. 5th Oct, 2007 on a daily basis for about 2(two) months. Appeal was also made by CEO in AIR, Imphal to the general public in this regard. Despite all these difficulties, the State Election Department could capture images of electors of about 63% in valley districts and 20% in hill districts till the 2nd week of February, 2008.

vi) Extension of Contract Appointees: During the reporting year, the service of the following 21 (twenty one) Contract Appointees were extended for a further period of 1(one) year with the approval of the Committee of Officers:
i) Assistant Computer Programmer - 1 No.

ii) Electoral Registration Clerks - 17 Nos.

iii) Drivers - 2 Nos.

iv) Peon (Grade-IV) - 1 No.

Total - 21 Nos.

vii) Assured Career Progression (ACP) Scheme: During the reporting year, financial upgradation under ACP Scheme has been granted to 1(one) Group-C and 28(twenty eight) Group-D employees of Election Department in pursuance of Government of Manipur, Finance Department (Pay Implementation Cell)’s Office Memorandum No. 16/28/2000-FD(PIC) dated 20/07/2005 and subsequent OMs dated 23/06/2006 and 9/05/2007
viii) Condemnation of Office Vehicles: During the reporting year, 3(three) Department Vehicles viz one Ambassador Car (MN-1A/5632), One Jeep (MNG-1099) and one R.E. Auto Rickshaw (MN-1H/3082) were put on public auction on 5th Oct, 2007 after observing all due formalities. A sum of Rs.41,760/- has been deposited into the State Government Account, being the sale proceeds of these three condemned vehicles.
ix) Training & Conference at Election Commission: As directed by the Delimitation Commission of India, Shri T. Ranjit Singh, Joint Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur attended meetings at the Delimitation Commission on 10th September, 24th October and 10th December, 2007 respectively and assisted CEO, Manipur in delimitation matters. Shri T. Ranjit Singh, Jt. CEO also attended the Conference of Chief Electoral Officers at ECI, New Delhi on 22nd June, 2007, 9th October, 2007 and 7th February, 2008 and assisted CEO, Manipur in the Conferences. Shri K. Bono Singh, Election Officer was deputed to ECI, New Delhi on 13-14 July, 2007 for collection of Ballot Box, Ballot Papers, authenticated copy of the list of Electoral College and other important statutory items connected with the last Presidential Election, 2007 held on 19th July, 2007.
x) CEO’s Official Website: All important/vital information such as Electoral Rolls, Statutory Forms, Press Notes/Releases, Handbook for 9th Manipur Legislative Assembly Elections, 2007, Candidates’ Affidavits etc. have been put up in CEO’s website for information of general public and all concerned. AC-wise Maps showing the locations of polling stations have also been uploaded in CEO’s website during the reporting year.
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